Atomizers spraying in all directions

ABSTRACT

A resilient squeeze bottle has a relatively very short stopper provided with a stepped central bore whose upper end is a spray discharge nozzle leading from a mixing chamber. Said stopper mounts a slim tube which extends downwardly to very near the bottle&#39;&#39;s floor and is communicative with the mixing chamber. Said stopper also mounts a main air tube which is about and spaced from said slim tube, and extends downwardly to a bit below the halfway mark of the space available in the bottle when the device is assembled. Stopper construction affords a duct system making the upper part of the main air tube communicative with the mixing chamber, and included in such system, are ducts opening in the bottom of the stopper, making the upper end of said main air tube communicative with the bottle&#39;&#39;s interior at bottleneck region. Bottle shape is such that the level of the liquid supply therein, which is below the air tube when the bottle is erect, shall always be below said air tube regardless of the position the bottle is held in hand. Bottle height is relatively tall so there is an appreciable distance between the bottom ends of said tubes, and also an appreciable distance between the bottom end of said air tube and the lower end of the stopper.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Anthony Genantonio Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr.

Teaneck, NJ. Assistant Examiner-1ohn J. Love [2]] Appl. No. 17,743 Attorney-M. D. Nissenbaum 221 Filed Mai-.9, 1970 {45] Patented Aug. 24,1971 [731 Assignees George u ABSTRACT: A resilient squeeze bottle has a relatively very n short stopper provided with a stepped central bore whose mm p n upper end is a spray discharge nozzle leading from a mixing TMNJJVM! Longobong Island, chamber. Said stopper mounts a slim tube which extends y pan m m each downwardly to very near the bottle '5 floor and IS communicative with the mixing chamber. Said stopper also mounts a main air tube which is about and spaced from said slim tube, and extends downwardly to a bit below the halfway mark of the [54] ATOMIZERS SPRAYINGIN ALL DIRECTIONS space available in the bottle when the device is assembled. 4 Claims, 24 Drawing Fig Stopper construction affords a duct system making the upper part of the main air tube communicative with the mixing [52] [LS-CI 239/327, chamber, and included in such system, are ducts opening in 222/211 the bottom of the stopper, making the upper end of said main [51] [111. CI 865d 1/32 air tube communicative with the m interior at bottleneck [50] Field of Search 239/327, region m shape is Such that the level of the liquid supply 434; 222/211 215 therein, which is below the air tube when the bottle is erect, shall always be below said air tube regardless of the position [56] warm the bottle is held in hand. Bottle height is relatively tall so UNITED STATES PATENTS there is an appreciable distance between the bottom ends of 3,255,934 6/1966 Leonard 222/21 1 said tubes, and also an appreciable distance between the bot- 3,36 l .304 1/1968 Thompson 239/327 X tom end of said air tube and the lower end of the stopper.

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ATOMIZ ERS SPRAYING IN ALL DIRECTIONS The present invention relates to atomizers of the squeezebottle type, for spraying perfumes, cosmetic and pharmaceutical solutions, and other liquids.

I-Ieretofore, most atomizers of this class operated properly only if held erect or slightly tilted, but at other positions at variance with the upright, especially when held inverted, the emission of liquid was not an atomized spray, but a thin continuous stream, and at many positions in hand, there would be no discharge at all. Some attempts have been made to design an atomizer which would discharge in any desired direction, depending upon the position it was held in hand, but they have proven not only costly because of their complicated structure, but their operation was erratic being that the discharge was of uneven character, full when erect, but thinning and thickening with shift of the position of the atomizer.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved atomizer for operation in all directions with a spray of uniform quality.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved atomizer of the character mentioned, affording multiple nebulization actions so the spray consists of finer divided liquid particles than has been usual in this general class of devices.

A further object thereof-is to provide a novel and improved atomizer construction having the aforementioned attributes,

. which is of simple construction, reasonable in cost to manufacture, all parts of which may be molded of plastic, except those that can be cut from stock, and which is easily assembled, positive in action and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds. For one practice of this invention, the atomizer is of the following construction. A resilient squeeze bottle has a stopper with a stepped central bore therethrough, which bore, at its upper end, is a capillary discharge nozzle leading upwardly from a first counterbore serving as a mixing chamber. Successively downward, there are a second and a third counterbore. The second counterbore frictionally holds the upper end of a slim capillary tube which extends downwardly short of the the bottles floor. The third, which is the lowermost counterbore, opens in the bottom surface of the stopper, and frictionally holds the upper end of a main air tube which is about and spaced from said slim tube; such main air tube extending downwardly to a bit below the halfway mark of the available space in the bottle which can hold liquid. There are first ducts making the upper end of the main air tube communicative with the mixing chamber, and there also are second ducts making such upper end communicative with the interior of the bottle; said second ducts serving as auxiliary passages for air when the atomizer is held so its stopper is in any upward position, and serving as passages for liquid when the stopper is directed in any downward position. The slim inner tube serves as the main passage for liquid directly into the said mixing chamber when the stopper is in any upward position, and serves as an auxiliary air passage when the stopper is in any downward position. The liquid contained in the bottle however held, is up to a level below the lower end of the main air tube. The bottle of course is squeezed to create a pressure therein to effect operation, during which, air turbulences occurring within the stopper, meet liquid at different locales, thereby accomplishing finer nebulization.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an atomizer embodying the teachings of this invention. Part of the bottle is broken away to expose parts of the device and to indicate the liquid level suitable for proper operation.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken at lines 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged central section of the stopper, taken at lines 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 2 showing a slightly modified construction. I

FIG. 5 is a section taken at line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the slim tube as it is called herein, which is positioned within the main air tube in the assembly.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the main air tube, shown partly broken away to expose interior structure.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the stopper, showing its central section. This relates to FIG. 3, inverted.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the main air tube as positioned upright in FIG. 2, and is also a view looking into the lower end of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is drawn to the same scale as FIG. 7.

FIGS. 10-13 show the atomizer as in FIG. 1, but in different positions, and each indicates the level of the liquid therein.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of FIG. I, and is also a bottom view of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is an elevational view of an atomizer which is another modified embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken at line 16-- 16 in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a section taken at line 17-17 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a section taken at line l8l8 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged perspective view of the stopper included in FIG. 16, showing its central section.

FIG. 20 is an elevational view of another modified atomizer construction embodying this invention.

2 FIG. 21 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken at line 21 21 in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a section taken at line 2222 in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at line 23-23 in FIG. 20.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged perspective view of the stopper included in FIG. 21, showing its central section.

In the drawings, one preferred atomizer construction is designated generally by the numeral 15, which comprises a resilient squeeze bottle 16, of polyethylene or rubber, whose short neck 17 is fitted with a stopper denoted generally as 18, form which centrally depends an elongated main air tube indicated generally by the numeral 19, and a slim capillary tube 20, which is positioned centrally spaced within said air tube. The air tube reaches down to a level in the bottle, which is a little below the halfway mark of the space in the bottle which is available to hold liquid when the atomizer is in assembled condition. The tube 20 reaches down to very close the floor wall of the bottle. The height space in the bottle, taken up by the stopper 18, shall be relatively small preferably, in relation to bottle height.

The stopper 18 has a stepped central bore therethrough, starting with a relatively short pin hole discharge orifice 22 opening in the top surface of said stopper, and it leads from an upright frustoconical countersink 23. Immediately below said countersink, is a bore 24 whose diameter is a bit less than that of the tube 20. Said bore 24 leads to its counterbore 26, into which the upper end of said tube 20 is frictionally fitted and sets against the shoulder 25. Said counterbore 26 leads from its own counterbore 27, into which the upper end of the tube 19 is frictionally fitted and sets against the shoulder 28. Said counterbore 27 opens in the lower face of the stopper, but as mentioned, holds the upper end of the tube 19. The stopper, when of the construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, its central bore is through a central boss 30, which is spaced from the peripheral wall 31 which surrounds it. This peripheral wall fits tightly in the bottle's neck 17, and serves to assure no relative distortion between the tubes 19 and 20 when the stopper is mounted. Such stopper structure being a cap, it can be mounted around the outside of the mouth of a cylindrical vialform which would fit into the annular space 14, which is believed understood without the need of further illustration. The stopper, of course can be made without the annular space 14,

which is another preferred embodiment thereof, and indicated generally by the numeral 18' in the atomizer shown in FIG. 4, which is otherwise identical with the stopper 18, and of course, the outer diameter of said stopper 18', is made to suit the stock of squeeze bottles chosen. The duct system which will now be described, is the same in all stoppers. In each stopper shown, there are diametrically opposite duplicate ducts, and so description of one, will suffice for both. Essentially it is necessary to make the upper end of the main air tube 19, communicative with the mixing chamber 24, and to make the bottle 's interior communicative with said mixing chamber.

The bore 24, as mentioned, serves as the mixing chamber. It is communicative with the upper end of the slim tube 20, and is made communicative with the upper end of the tube 19, by means of the duct 32 formed by the outer wall of the tube 20, with the channel or flute 32' which is along the counterbore 26, and extends with no closing wall along the mixing chamber 24, as shown at 32". The interior of the bottle 16, is made communicative with said mixing chamber, by means of the capillary duct 34, formed by the outer wall of the tube 19, with the channel or flute 34, which is along the counterbore 27, opening in the lower end of the stopper, and extending in communication with the channel 32'. This describes the preferred manner of providing the duct system.

The bottom end portion of the tube 19, has a relatively thicker wall so the diameter of its bottom opening 36 is of reduced size to snugly slidably receive the tube 20 therethrough. Upon such assembly, the lengthwise inner channels 37', 38', are formed into the ducts 37 and 38, which are the passages making the lower end of the tube 19, communicative with the interior of the bottle 16; such lower end being its air intake end.

Although the ducts in the device described are in pairs, there may be just one of each, or more than two as shown. The dimensions of all parts and the sizes of the ducts, and the bottle size and shape, shall be such that the device will operate by virtue of the pressure attainable by squeezing the bottle, and of importance is that the size of the ducts shall not permit an overflow into the mixing chamber 24.

In a specimen embodiment constructed as shown in FIG. 2, which has proven practical, the dimensions are as follows, in inches, except where otherwise indicated, and are given as a mere example, but shall in no manner be deemed mandatory or restrictive; such specifications being:

Bottle inside height 4 base 2 l /a capacity in fluid ounces to level L1 2 0. oz. neck height 3/4 ID. of neck 0.550

Stoppers:

height 7/16 discharge orifice diameter 0.035 mixing chamber diameter 0.110 height of counterbore 26,

for slim tube 20 H8 height of counterbore 27,

for tube 19 3/l6 height of frustoeonical space 23 N32 depth olduct 34 0.007; its width 0.025 depth ofduct 32 0.068; its width 0.040

(along counterbore 26) Diameter dimensions of the counterhures,

to suit assembly of the parts Slim Tube 20 length 3% D. 0.] l I.D. 0.035

Main air tube 19 length 2 CD. 0.3 large I.D. 0.2 reduced I.D. 0.114

Ducts in reduced end depth 0.04; width 0.04

Liquids useddeodorant, mouth wash,

and alcohol.

In erect position as in FIG. 1, the bottle 16 has a supply of liquid up to a maximum level L1, which is a bit below the bottom end of the tube 19, meaning below the entrances to the ducts 37, 38, which are an appreciable distance below the entrance to the duct 34. The shape of said bottle is such that when held in any position, the level of the liquid will always be below the said intake openings 37, 38, as shown in the FIGS.

10-13, where the respective notations of the series including an L, denote the maximum levels attained when the atomizer is held in hand, in the various positions illustrated. It is suggested that the interior of the bottle should have a proper marking at level L1, or that the bottle shall have some transparency and include an exterior mark, to indicate the extent of maximum filing. Such marks are not shown.

When the atomizer is held erect as in FIG. 1, or as in FIG. 10, or in any other slanted position where the stopper 18 is directed upwardly and the bottle is squeezed to pressurize its interior, liquid will be forced up through the slim tube 20 and discharged directly in a very thin stream into the mixing chamber 24, where it is met by and atomized by the airflow forced up through the tube 19. Also, simultaneously with the occurrence of such flows, there is an airflow created up through the duct 34, which makes a quarter turn through the channel 32", and thence merging with the mixture in the mixing chamber 24, causes additional turbulance in said chamber, so the liquid content therein is hit in a multiplicity of directions and is broken up into extremely fine particles, thereby causing a high quality of nebulization because the walls of the mixing chamber act as break-up baffle means effecting further atomizing action on the mixture which escapes as a spray through the orifice of the nozzle 22.

When the atomizer 15 is held inverted as in FIG. 13, or is in position in hand as shown in FIG. 12, or in any other slanted position where the stopper 18 is directed downwardly, and the bottle 16 is squeezed to pressurize its interior, liquid will be forced down through the capillary duct 34, turn through the channel position 32" and thence flow across the mouth of the main air tube 19, where such liquid flow will be impinged upon by the air flow forced downwardly through said tube 19, and there will occur a first atomization action, and the mixture will be forced through and into the mixing chamber 24, where it is met and further nebulized by the air flow forced through the slim tube 20, whereupon there is a spray discharge through 22.

When the atomizer is held true horizontal, the liquid housed in the tube 20 will be atomized when the bottle is squeezed, and the spray discharge will be horizontal. The unsteadiness of the hand will cause enough oscillations to bring liquid into at least one of the ducts 34, for continued operation, or into the tube 20, depending upon the direction of the effected tilt.

It is evident that at all positions of the atomizer, the tube 19 is forever a passage for air. When the atomizer is held with its stopper directed upwardly, whether true erect or at any slant, the tube 20 is only for the passage of liquid, while the duct 34 are auxiliary air passages. When the atomizer is held with its stopper directed downwardly, the tube 20 is an auxiliary air passage while the said duct 34 is for the passage of liquid.

The stoppers 18, 18 may be molded of plastic having some resilient quality, The tube 19 may also be molded, or built up by forcing a short length of tubing into its lower end and then cutting the channels 37',38' therein. The tube 20 may be a length cut from stock plastic tubing.

The central bores through the stoppers 18,18 are multistepped, that is, the discharge nozzle bore 22, has a plurality of successive counterbores, making each of said stoppers a cap of stepped interior. All channels to constitute the duct system, are heightwise. I now show other practical embodiments of this invention indicated generally by the numerals 115 and 115', which afford an appreciable saving in mold costs and in assembly labor.

In the stopper 118 of FIG. 19, the discharge nozzle 122 has principally one large counterbore 127, making said stopper 118, an inverted cylindrical cup shape; said nozzle bore being through, what may be called the ceiling wall of said cupshape. Retained, is the capillary channel 134 which is akin to the channel 34, but instead of the vertical channels 32' and 32", a horizontal channel 132 is provided in said ceiling wall 128, interior the cup shape. The slim tube 120 snugly fits within the air tube 119, and is so maintained concentric therewith. The ducts 137, 138 are provided by lengthwise channels in the slim tube, which channels are formed into such ducts upon the assembly of said tubes. The upper end of the slim tube is below theupper end of the air tube, to provide the mixing chamber 124. A proper assembly jig is used to effect such positioning, and would be a tool readily designed in modern manufacturing practice, though an actual stop to locate the slim tube may be provided, as for instance is shown in the stopper 118' of FIG. 24, in the slightly modified atomizer 115' wherein the stop is offered by a split tube structure 129, extending centrally from the ceiling wall 128' into the cup-form; such split tube serving to hold the upper end portion of the slim tube 120 which sets against the seat 125, while the bore 124 serves as the mixing chamber. Otherwise, said stoppers 118 and 118 are substantially identical, akin to the FIGS. 2 and 4 respectively. The bores 127 and 127' are for the air tubes 119 and 119' respectively, which now rest up against said ceilings respectively. The channel across the ceiling wall 128' in the stopper 118' is at 132'. The enlargement or counterbore 126 in the split tube, is for holding the upper end of the slim tube 120', which tube is assembled at its lower end with the main tube 119, as is shown in FIG. 23, in the same manner as the association of the lower ends of the corresponding tubes of FIGS. 6 and 7, by providing the ducts 137 and 138. It is evident that the duct systems in the stoppers 18,18, 118 and 118', accomplish identical functions.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific showings and description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an atomizer of the character described, a relatively tall resilient squeeze bottle closed by a relatively short stopper having a stepped central bore therethrough; the upper end portion of said bore being a capillary discharge nozzle and the lower end portion of said bore being of relatively appreciable diameter, a main air tube fitted in the lower end of said bore and extending downwardly from the stopper to a predetermined level in the bottle below the halfway mark of the space available to hold liquid in the atomizer, a slim capillary tube held concentrically within said air tube; the upper end of said slim tube being spaced from the nozzle whereby a mixing chamber is formed within the stopper; said slim tube being communicative with said chamber; said slim tube-extending downwardly to the lowest part of the bottle and spaced from the bottom of said bottle; there being a space between said tubes along the entire length of said air tube; said stopper having a heightwise capillary channel within the bore; said capillary channel being closed along its length by the air tube whereby a capillary duct is formed of said capillary channel; such duct making the upper end of the air tube communicative with the upper re ion of the bottle; said duct 0 eni ng in the lower end of sa1 stopper; said stopper also avmg a second channel within the bore, making the upper end of the air tube communicative with said chamber, and liquid within the bottle below the lower end of said air tube; the shape of the bottle being such that regardless of the position of the bottle, the level of said liquid therein will always be below the lower end of said air tube; the distance between the lower ends of said tubes being relatively large in relation to the height of the stopper, and the distance between the lower ends of the stopper and said air tube being comparatively large in relation to the height of the stopper.

2. An atomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of said bore has a first counterbore immediately below; such first counterbore having a second counterbore immediately below; the lower end portion of said bore being a counterbore of said second counterbore; the upper end of the slim tube being fitted within the said second counterbore, and wherein said channels are heightwise of the stopper; said first counterbore constituting said chamber.

3. An atomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein the stopper is an inverted cylindrical cup form; said upper portion of said bore being through the ceiling wall of said cup-form, and the second channel being across the ceiling wall interior the cup form; the interior of said cup-form constituting the lower portion of said central bore.

4. An atomizer as defined in claim 3, including centrally positioned split tube structure extending downwardly from the ceiling, a distance equal to part of the height of the stopper; the upper portion of the bore being communicative with said split tube; said split tube encircling said upper portion of the bore; the lower portion of the interior of said split tube structure being enlarged; the upper interior portion of said split tube structure constituting said chamber, and the slim tube being fitted in the lower enlarged section of said split tube structure and extending downwardly therefrom. 

1. In an atomizer of the character described, a relatively tall resilient squeeze bottle closed by a relatively short stopper having a stepped central bore therethrough; the upper end portion of said bore being a capillary discharge nozzle and the lower end portion of said bore being of relatively appreciable diameter, a main air tube fitted in the lower end of said bore and extending downwardly from the stopper to a predetermined level in the bottle below the halfway mark of the space available to hold liquid in the atomizer, a slim capillary tube held concentrically within said air tube; the upper end of said slim tube being spaced from the nozzle whereby a mixing chamber is formed within the stopper; said slim tube being communicative with said chamber; said slim tube extending downwardly to the lowest part of the bottle and spaced from the bottom of said bottle; there being a space between said tubes along the entire length of said air tube; said stopper having a heightwise capillary channel within the bore; said capillary channel being closed along its length by the air tube whereby a capillary duct is formed of said capillary channel; such duct making the upper end of the air tube communicative with the upper region of the bottle; said duct opening in the lower end of said stopper; said stopper also having a second channel within the bore, making the upper end of the air tube communicative with said chamber, and liquid within the bottle below the lower end of said air tube; the shape of the bottle being such that regardless of the position of the bottle, the level of said liquid therein will always be below the lower end of said air tube; the distance between the lower ends of said tubes being relatively large in relation to the height of the stopper, and the distance between the lower ends of the stopper and said air tube being comparatively large in relation to the height of the stopper.
 2. An atomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of said bore has a first counterbore immediately below; such first counterbore having a second counterbore immediately below; the lower end portion of said bore being a counterbore of said second counterbore; the upper end of the slim tube being fitted within the said second counterbore, and wherein said channels are heightwise of the stopper; said first counterbore constituting said chamber.
 3. An atomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein the stopper is an inverted cylindrical cup form; said upper portion of said bore being through the ceiling wall of said cup-form, and the second channel being across the ceiling wall interior the cup form; the interior of said cup-form constituting the lower portion of said central bore.
 4. An atomizer as defined in claim 3, including centrally positioned split tube structure extending downwardly from the ceiling, a distance equal to part of the height of the stopper; the upper portion of the bore being communicative with said split tube; said split tube encircling said upper portion of the bore; the lower portion of the interior of said split tube structure being enlarged; the upper interior portion of said split tube structure constituting said chamber, and the slim tube being fitted in the lower enlarged section of said split tube strucTure and extending downwardly therefrom. 